ows to
hide every gleam of light from the street. They were almost free
from folds, but I shook them well, especially the one nearest the
table, and naturally with no effect.

"Folly," I muttered, yet did not quite desist. For the great
tassels still hung at the sides and-- Well! you may call it an
impossible find or say that if the bauble was there it should have
been discovered in the first search for it! I will not say no. I
can only tell you what happened. When I took one of those tassels
in my band, I thought, as it twirled under my touch, that I saw
something gleam in its faded old threads which did not belong there.
Startled, and yet not thoroughly realizing that I had come upon the
object of my search, I picked at this thing and found it to be a
morsel of gold chain that had become entangled in it. When I had
pulled it out, it showed a small golden ball at one end, filigreed
over and astonishingly heavy for its size and apparent delicacy.

How it came there--whether it rolled from the table, or was swept
off inadvertently by the detective's hand, and how it came to be
caught by this old tassel and held there in spite of the many
shakings it must have received, did not concern me at this momentous
instant. The talisman of this old family was found. I had but to
discover what it held concealed to understand what had baffled Mr.
Moore and made the mystery he had endeavored to penetrate so
insolvable. Rejoicing in my triumph, but not wasting a moment in
self-congratulation, I bent over the candle with my prize and sought
for the clasp or fastening which held its two parts together. I
have a knack at clasps and curious fastenings and was able at first
touch to spring this one open. And what did I find inside?
Something so different from what I expected, something so trivial
and seemingly harmless, that it was not until I recalled the final
words of Uncle David's memorandum that I realized its full import
and the possibilities it suggested. In itself it was nothing but
a minute magnifying glass; but when used in connection with--what?
Ah, that was just what Uncle David failed to say, possibly to know.
Yet this was now the important point, the culminating fact which
might lead to a full understanding of these many tragedies. Could
I hope to guess what presented itself to Mr. Moore as a difficult
if not insolvable problem? No; guessing would not answer. I must
trust to the inspiration of the moment w